A TALE OF BROTHERS

— by Jeff Karamales

Chapter 11
 

  Elias and Vanna were both taken to the infirmary aboard the Vanguard, the doctor confirming that the fox was suffering from a severe concussion and decided to keep him under observation for two full ship’s cycles before letting Elias return to light duty. Vanna’s leg required minor surgery to repair damage to the soft tissue and she was ordered on bed rest until the ship made planetfall on Fyn, commenting that the injury could have been far worse were it not for the fox’s immediate and copious use of biogel. There had indeed been particulate matter that could have posed a substantial threat to the mouse, though the wound was treated in a manner so that even the scarring would be minimal and virtually unnoticeable within a few months.

  For Elias, light duty meant assisting all of the different departments with their reports of the incident, not to mention the manner in which Holloran Davies died. By far, that particular report was the one that the fox was having the most trouble with as it was also partly his responsibility to send a letter along with Captain Palmers’ to tell Davies’ family of the manner in which the otter had been killed.

  He was on his fifth draft of the necessary letter when Alistair entered Elias’ cabin. “Havin’ issues, Toddy-boy?”

  Elias slumped in the chair and rubbed at the point just behind the cut on his head, wincing when he got too close to the wound. “Writing a letter to Davies’ family,” he muttered before tapping out an analgesic capsule given to him by the ship’s doctor and swallowing it down with a swig of water. “How do I tell his parents that their son died because of a moment of stupidity?”

“You don’t,” another voice said from behind the human.

  Alistair moved to the side to let Valencia enter the open cabin, going to attention with Elias trying to stand before the tigress waved down both of them to relax. “Ma’am? I…I don’t know what to tell them, but I have to say something as I was the officer in charge on that team. How? How do I tell them I wasn’t a good enough leader? That their son died because he did something incredibly foolish?”

  “You never tell a family that, Elias,” Valencia informed her subordinates in a tired sounding voice as she took a seat on the fox’s bunk. “You tell them that he died doing his duty while trying to effect the rescue of the eighty seven miners and family members that we got out safely. You tell them that he gave his life for the ideals of the Spatial Police Force and the welfare of the commonwealth of the Planetary Alignment.”

  Elias and Alistair both blinked at their Captain.

  “You lie and you make them think that their son was a real, honest to the Maker hero.” Valencia ran her paw through her hair and sighed. “It’s going to be bad enough that they’ve lost their son, the grief that will come with knowing they’ll never see him again. You will try and alleviate that by telling them that he was what the SPF is all about, and that many others are alive because of his sacrifice.

  “The people of the PA trust us because of what we stand for. They know that we’ll put our lives on the line, walk the sharp end and live on the raggedy edge because that’s what we do. We’re seen as the ones that face down danger and will die to place the welfare of every citizen in the Planetary Alignment above our own. And when we have to write letters like this, we maintain that illusion because those very same people need to know that we’re out here for them.”

  The Captain sighed.

  “It’s that illusion that gets us the support we need, that helps the people that live on all those safe, hppy planets to back us when things get ugly. Someday when both of you are running your own ships, when lives are dependant upon your orders, you’ll understand that. We must never let the families of those that die under our command think that their sons or daughters, brothers or sisters, fathers and mothers are anything less than legendary souls and heroes.”

  Elias considered her words for several moments. “I guess I can see your point.”

  “It’s more than a point, Elias,” the tigress said. “Space is the ultimate embodiment of Nature. Here we are on her terms, and nature doesn’t abide stupidity. She’ll end you right quick in any one of a million ways if you fail to maintain constant vigilance. We lost a valuable SPO because he forgot that, and almost lost two more as a result. Always alert, always aware. That’s what you need to be out here. But that’s not why I’ve come here.”

  “Oh? Um, I thought you needed the letter…” Elias began before closing his muzzle.

  “I do, but we have time. We’re still a few days from Fyn. No, what I wanted to tell you is that I’ve forwarded several reports to command on Joplin regarding those of you that have been aboard for your ‘prentice cruise.” Valencia looked at the two individuals with an intense gaze. “I thought that you might want to know that both of you have met with my approval and that your assessment, as far as I’m concerned, is that both of you have my support to full commission to the ranks of the Spatial Police Force as qualified pilots and valuable crew members.”

  “We passed? Alistair asked with glee.

  “I’d have to say so,” Valencia replied before grinning. “Though I did opt to omit a certain instance of insubordination from one, and catching another in a, ahem, rather compromising position with another cadet under evaluation on what was technically a duty cycle.”

  The pair knew that their Captain was referring to the deep kiss that Elias and Vanna had been engaged in, though the fox looked up at his best friend with an expression of shock. “Insubordination?”

  “Mister Gordon was most adamant about coming to your aid after the explosion,” the tigress informed Elias. “I thought that I was going to have to have security shoot him with stunners and put him in the brig. As it was, the incident was a trying time for many of us and I decided to overlook Mister Gordon’s reckless behavior, all things considered.”

  Valencia stood and smiled at both.

  “Congratulations are in order, I suppose. Once we return to Joplin at the end of our run you’ll both be assigned to your permanent ships as Warrant Officers Class Four and fully instated pilots with ship ratings of Class One.” The tigress paused at the hatchway. “Does this mean that I can dismiss the letter of resignation that you left for me, Mister Tivnan?”

  “Yes, Ma’am,” the fox replied softly, unable to meet the look of shock from his human friend. “As you said, it was a trying time for all of us.”

“Very good. Carry on,” the Captain said and departed.

  As soon as the tigress was gone, Alistair spun on his friend. “Wha’ letter o’ resignation? Ye didnae say nothin’ tae me!”

  Elias resumed his slump in the chair, wincing at the accusatory glare from the human. “I…I wasn’t sure I…” He swallowed and shook his head. “Davies was my responsibility. I let him down. That’s one of the reasons that I was having trouble with this damn letter. I should have been paying better attention. Knowing that if I’d been a little more attentive…aware, that I could have kept him alive, that Vanna wouldn’t have gotten hurt because of me, it made me question whether I’m really cut out for this.”

  “Elias,” the man began before taking the spot on the cabin’s bunk that the Captain had just vacated, putting him closer to the fox, “ye did yer best. Ye learn from this jus’ like the rest o’ us an’ use it tae make a difference. ‘Sides,” Alistair continued, “if’n it hadn’ been ye with ‘em, there’s no tellin’ tha’ Vanna wouldae made it back! She alive ‘cause o’ ye.”

  The fox sat silently while his friend wrung his hands in agitation.

  “Ye got wha’ it takes tae be out here. Ye got it in spades! Ye make others try harder tae be better.” He looked at Elias with his eyes full of unspoken emotion for the fox. “Ye make me wanna be better. Tha’s wha’ makes ye th’ perfect one for this job!”

  “I guess,” Elias conceded before falling silent. When he did look up it was with a mischievous twinkle to his blue eyes. “The Captain was really going to have you shot? You really were going to come and help against orders?”

  “Aye,” Alistair retorted hotly. “Yer like me brother an’ I’ll be hanged if’n I’m gonna let ye die withou’ a fight!” The man deflated and shook his head. “Ye e’er tell another soul wha’ I’m ‘bout tae say an’ I’ll be callin’ ye a liar, you stupid fox, but I love ye like family, an’ I’d be dyin’ tae save yer flea bitten hide if’n it were called fer.” The man then frowned. “Bollocks! I’d be a killin’ tae keep ye ‘round fer a while longer.”

  Elias was stunned at the admission, but also realized that it was something that he’d felt for a long while as well. They weren’t even the same species, but the kinship between Alistair and himself was a bright point to the fox’s personal universe and something that he’d come to depend on greatly. Unable to speak past the lump in his throat, Elias simply took the man’s hand in his paw and gave it a momentary squeeze.

  “I feel the same, brother,” Elias finally managed to croak out around the tightness he felt. 

*** 

  Elias had found a resort not too far from the starport the SPF Vanguard was berthed at that was situated in the dense, lush forests that the planet Fyn was noted for. It was as far from the ocean that the fox could find, and Vanna was thrilled to say the least. Alistair had tagged along as well, finding a companion in the form of a young Persian feline that had been among the personnel rescued from the Al-Myr facility, the glossy black cat enjoying the flattery and attention from the outrageous human.

  Being SPF got the impromptu quartet a substantial discount, and Vanna was thrilled with the accommodations and took advantage of the Jacuzzi the rooms were furnished with every possible chance, sometimes with Alistair and his companion joining them, though more often than not with just her and Elias. The mouse was able to get around with a crutch fairly well, and didn’t complain in the slightest at the way the fox waited on her without complaint.

  It was their third night on an eight day shore leave and Alistair had decided to retire to his suite with Piper, the cat that had worked at the mine as a lower echelon operations staffer, leaving the fox and mouse to their own devices.

  “What was that we had for dinner?” Vanna asked as she sat with her leg up on a pile of cushions. “That was incredible!”

  “Something Alistair said was called haggis, or something,” Elias said as he finished loading up the room service cart with the used plates before pushing it out into the hallway for the staff to retrieve. “He introduced me to it when we visited his home, but told me never to ask what was in it.”

  “I’m surprised they serve it here,” the mouse said with a happy sigh.

  “Well, Fyn’s got a reputation for culinary arts, and you can get stuff from all over the PA here. It’s a point of pride, I think.” He made his way to the low sofa the mouse reclined on and brushed her hair back from her eyes, smiling when her pink tail lashed against his leg playfully. “So, want me to get the hot tub ready for a good soak?”

  “Hmmm, tempting,” Vanna cooed happily. “But what I’d really like is for you to go downstairs and get us a nice bottle of wine from the bar.

  Elias looked at the female quizzically, pleased that she seemed less timid than when they first began their friendship and was now far more confident in her behavior, he and Alistair both confirming that Vanna was an individual that was worth knowing and the positive reinforcement working wonders for the rodent.

  “Why do that when I can call room service?”

  “Because, pretty fox, it gives me a chance to get a surprise ready for you,” Vanna said with a warm smile. “Something that I’ve wanted to do for a while now, to be honest.”

  “Oh,” Elias said with an answering smile. “So how long should I give you?”

  “Fifteen minutes? Maybe twenty? I want it to be perfect.”

  “I think I can arrange that.” Elias stood and kissed the mouse’s nose before stepping to the door of the suite. “Any preference on the wine?”

“Sweet and not too potent. I don’t really drink much and I don’t want to fall asleep!”

  Elias was smiling as he made his way down the hallway to the bank of elevators that would deposit him in the lobby near the restaurant and bar, wondering just what particulars Vanna’s surprise held in store for him but not wanting to ruin the preparations she was making. He had to ask about the different bottles that were available, the mackerel striped tabby that helped him doing her best but not really knowing what would fit the fox’s criteria the best and wound up calling the sommelier to assist. By the time they were done, Elias had two bottles and a pair of glasses that he returned to the suite with.

  “Knock-knock,” the fox said as he opened the door partially, frowning when there was no answer from Vanna.

  Stepping inside, Elias found that all of the lights had been extinguished and that there were lit candles in strategic points of the room, all of them set so that the closer he got to the bedroom, the more there were. The fox moved slowly, a flutter of anticipation running through him that made his fur stand on end like it would prior to a good thunderstorm. When he pushed the bedroom door open he felt the breath in his lungs seize as his jaw dropped open.

  Lying in the middle of the bed was Vanna, but in a way that he’d never anticipated seeing the mouse. She wore frilly bits of lingerie that completely added to her form, the black shimmersilk contrasting fetchingly wither fur while her normally pinned up hair was allowed to fall just past her shoulders and fan out on the pillow. She lay on her side, one arm draped over her flank that looked far more curvaceous than normal, the other propping the mouse’s head up.

  “So?” she asked softly. “Like what you see?”

  “I truly do…” Elias answered when he found his voice, the tone deep in anticipation.

  Vanna giggled as the fox continued to stare, not moving at all. “Why don’t you open the bottle and join me,” she suggested.

  “Yeah…I can do that…” Elias mumbled, still unable to look away.

  He was used to seeing Vanna in uniform, something functional, utilitarian and fairly drab. This, however, was something astonishing and the transformation was incredible. There was no doubting that Vanna was female, and far more beautiful than he’d realized. Somehow he was able to uncork the wine and pour two glasses without botching the procedure and joined the mouse.

  “I’ll admit I had to have help with some of this. I…I’m not good at picking out girlie things to wear…”

  “Vanna,” Elias breathed huskily. “You’re completely gorgeous!”

  The effect the simple, honest admission had on the mouse was like watching the sun rise after a gloomy night. “I am?”

  “You are. I…I can’t even begin to tell you how beautiful you are.” He handed one of the glasses to Vanna and reached out to touch her, his paw stopping halfway, as if to touch would spoil the enchantment he felt. “Who helped you with this?”

“Believe it or not, Alistair. I think that if he ever leaves the SPF he could make a fortune running a specialty boutique.” She jerked her eyes up. “That…that doesn’t upset you, does it? That he helped me with all of this?”

“Not at all. He’s talented when it comes to helping beautiful females.”

  “Or plain ones feel beautiful,” Vanna replied softly.

  “No. You aren’t plain. You never have been,” the fox said, unable to keep his eyes from roving over the mouse. “Um…so what do we drink to?”

  Vanna smiled. “I don’t know about you, but I’ll toast just being here at this moment with you. It…it’s enough for me at the moment.” They clinked glasses and sipped, the wine completely perfect and just what she’d wanted. “There is one little problem, though,” Vanna said with a coy drop of her head.

  “Tell me what it is and I’ll fix it,” Elias declared.

  “Well, you happen to be a little overdressed, then you need to open your present. I heard about the review the Captain gave you, so a reward is definitely in order.”

  Elias shook his head. “You didn’t have to get me a present, Vanna.”

  She looked up at the fox through her lashes, a smile tugging at her delicate mouth. “Even if that present is me?”

— NEXT CHAPTER —

Unless otherwise noted, all material © Ted R. Blasingame. All rights reserved.